Poke Series
by moi-moi819
Summary: Gabi-verse. Series of One-shots made as a continuation of Poke Adventures. Not in chronological order.
1. Chapter 1

Installment 1: Paul's Dilemma

_Disclaimer: moi-moi819 does not own Pokémon, or any of their titles therein. This is a nonprofit fan fiction. No copyright infringement was intended._

~:~

"_And that's it! Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner! In an amazing victory over his opponent, Paul has managed a clean-sweep win!"_

It wasn't what I would call "amazing". It was a sure win. My Pokémon were in the best shape that they've ever been in and my battle style was fully optimized. It would have been a miracle if I _hadn't _won.

"I guess the better Trainer won," Stephan said to me as he offered his hand for a shake. He towered over me slightly by at least three inches with his bulky build, but I didn't flinch. I accepted the handshake with a nod, nearly scoffing at his tight grip.

"You fought a good battle," I said to him.

Stephan smirked slightly. "Yeah. I guess I'll just have to work harder next time," Stephan said and we released hands. The interaction felt strained and tense despite the cordial words. It was probably due to Stephan's blatant flirtation with Gabi, but I couldn't be sure. It shouldn't matter to me if Stephan made a fool of himself. Gabi wasn't mine to control. But, that didn't stop me from wanting to knock his teeth out.

"Congratulations, my boy! That was an excellent victory!" Charles Goodshow congratulated me with a pat on the back. He looked much older than he had the last time I competed in the Sinnoh League despite that being only four years ago. Gabi stood next to him with the golden, Champion's Cup in her hands. She shot me a smug smirk before offering it to me.

"Congrats. You didn't battle as terribly as I thought you would," she joked in a teasing tone. Infernape was snickering at her side while Mr. Goodshow grinned widely.

"I _am _the best," I replied with a smirk of my own.

Like I thought she would, she huffed loudly and folded her arms before declaring, "You can't claim the title of "Best" until you beat me. And that is _never _gonna happen." We'll see.

~:~

After having Mr. Goodshow and the rest of the Pokémon League officials explain the rules to me, I left the stadium to head to the Pokémon Center. Even though I had won in a clean sweep, I didn't want my Pokémon in less than perfect condition. When I entered the Center, I spotted Stephan once again making a nuisance of himself at the counter.

He was grinning widely as well as leaning casually on the counter in attempt to look nonchalant while discretely flexing his muscles. I could feel a headache coming on as my eye twitched. As usual, Gabi was completely oblivious to his advances as she listened to him speak. Either that or she was a really great actress.

She listened to Stephan with polite interest, but when she noticed me approaching, her entire expression lit up and she flagged me down. My eye stopped twitching long enough to shoot a small smirk Stephan's way. He rolled his eyes at me. Even after four years, we hadn't made friends like Gabi always encouraged us to.

"Congrats again, Paul. That was some win. Battling you was really intense," Stephan complimented me.

"That's Paul for you," Gabi shrugged casually, but I could hear the pride in her tone. She felt that it was her place to boast my accomplishments like a mother would boast a gifted child. Whatever made her happy… It didn't matter to me.

That was a lie. There was a small part of me (and I was reluctant to admit that it existed) that relished in her praise and attention. For reasons I couldn't explain (or simply chose not to), she mattered more to me than anyone else. I wasn't sure if I held her higher than I did Reggie, but there were times when that was easy to determine. Such as when Reggie made it his mission to set me up with Gabi or to make incredulous, wild assumptions about us. Ridiculous.

"You really don't know yet?" I heard Stephan asked when I snapped out of my thoughts. I feigned like I knew what the topic of conversation was.

"No, Stephan. Everyone's avoiding the topic. Even Flint is keeping quiet about my birthday. I think another surprise party's being planned," Gabi shrugged. Gabi's birthday?

"I haven't heard anything. Oh well. Since I wasn't let in on it, I feel no guilt in telling you that I've already got you the perfect gift," Stephan smirked.

"The perfect gift? _This _I've got to see," she grinned. I kept quiet.

"No can do. Maybe you can convince Paul to give you a peak at the gift he got you," Stephan hinted.

Just then, Nurse Joy returned with Stephan's Pokéballs and the red-head left to reclaim them. Gabi turned bright eyes onto me with a small smile on her face. I stared back at her. "Alright. Don't tell me. I want to be surprised anyways. I know it'll be great," Gabi grinned.

Great. I'd forgotten her birthday. For the entire time that I've known her, Gabi has never forgotten my birthday. She'd even remembered it when I'd forgotten. I've never had to remember hers before. Usually Flint, Victoria, or someone else would be sending me constant messages of her surprise party. Why hadn't he gotten one this time?

"_Ah! Young love!"_

Gabi's demeanor took a turn for the worst as she rolled her eyes with a growl that sounded suspiciously like Luxray's. we didn't need to turn to see who it was that had spoken. We knew Rhonda's voice anywhere. Sure enough, she was approaching us with a wide, smug grin and her cameraman in tow.

"You two are going to be the cherry on top of my next show with this scoop," she grinned. "Smile pretty, you lovebirds."

She was another one that brought on headaches in me. Luckily, Gabi spoke up for us. "Rhonda, we're not-" she started.

"Yeah, yeah. I've heard all the excuses before," Rhonda waved her off. "Do you _really _expect me to believe that there isn't something between you two? The public has a right to know! Don't you think?" she winked.

"You're the singled most annoying person I have ever met. Beat it before I-" I started, but Gabi cut me off.

"-What he means is: shouldn't you be interviewing someone else who isn't anywhere near here?" Gabi asked with a polite smile.

"Why would I do that when you two are here? Sinnoh's very own young couple. Like Romeo and Juliette, but you know…without all the dying," Rhonda went on. The headache was surging back now. Even the jealous glares Stephan was shooting me weren't enough to raise my mood. "So, Paul, tell me how you feel about eventually having to face your girlfriend in battle," Rhonda said and placed her microphone at my mouth.

For the past few years, I had experienced the growth spurt that came with puberty. I was getting closer to Reggie's height, but he still had me beat out by several inches. I was able to look Rhonda in the face with a dry stare.

"…Okay…Gabi, how do you feel about having to face Paul? Do you think your heart will keep you from delivering the final blow? How would you feel if you lost your title to him?" Rhonda went on.

"Do you really get paid to harass other's lives? That's pathetic. Go make yourself useful and get a _real _job," I sneered. Rhonda's face fell before a scowl took its place. With a loud "humph!", she stalked away with her cameraman trailing behind her.

"That wasn't very nice," Gabi admonished me.

"Don't act like you weren't thinking it," I replied with a smirk.

~:~

I sighed again as I glared at my roof. I was getting nowhere in my brainstorming. What could I possibly get Gabi for her birthday? What do you get a girl with enough money to simply buy whatever she wanted or needed? I sighed and groaned again.

"You okay Paul? I heard some pretty strange noises," Reggie said as he moved into my doorway. He placed his hands on his hips as he raised a brow at me.

"I'm fine," I replied and went back to my thoughts.

"Thinking about what to get Gabi for her birthday?" Reggie guessed. I could hear the smug tone in his voice. How did he always know? "You never seem to know what to get her when it comes around. I just figured that it was my turn to help you again."

I decided to bite the bullet take the advice he was offering. "How is it that she always has the best gift for me?" I asked him, but kept my gaze on my ceiling. Reggie came in my room before sitting at the foot of my bed.

"Because she knows you so well. It's kind of scary how well she knows you," Reggie mused.

"And I don't know her," I filled in for him. He didn't need to say it.

"I didn't say that. You do know her. You just don't know how to show it or express yourself. But, the good thing is that she knows that about you," Reggie said. He stood then and patted my leg comfortingly. "Don't worry too much about it Paul. It'll work out."

I watched him go with a glare. He was no help at all. So much for older brothers. I would have to figure this out on my own. And I would have to do it soon. Today was Gabi's birthday. I was sure that she getting all kinds of birthday cards, wishes, and gifts from friends and fans all over the world. Luckily, that would keep her busy long enough for me to attain a gift.

I was shifting out of bed when I heard Electivire call out to me. He was grinning smugly about something as he spoke to me. "What's with you?" I questioned him as I picked up my wallet and shoes. He came closer to me to display the object in his furry hands. It was a small, yellow box with an outlet.

"Your electrizer? What about it?" I questioned him. He went about some motions, but when he saw that I wasn't understanding him, he sighed loudly. With a renewed grin, he quickly left only to return with a yellow ribbon. He showed me the ribbon before moving to tie it around the electrizer like a present.

Then it hit me. "You want to give that to Gabi?" I asked him with a raised brow. He nodded vigorously. I shrugged once. "Alright. Whatever," I said casually, but internally I seethed. Even Electivire could come up with a gift for Gabi and he didn't even have much to begin with! His electrizer was like his prized possession. I didn't even want to know what my other Pokémon had come up with. They all adored Gabi to know end and were probably moving mountains to get her gifts.

I left my room to see Reggie tying a ribbon on a large basket. The basket held all types of fruits and flowers along with a card. Honchkrow and Staraptor stood at Reggie's side with proud grins. Reggie turned to us with a small smile. "Staraptor and Honchkrow got Gabi a fruit basket. They even signed the card with their feet," Reggie explained. I frowned.

"I'm going out. Be back later," I said and slipped my hands into my jacket pockets. I left the house with Electivire on my tail. I didn't normally travel with him out of his ball, but I had forgotten his ball at home.

I had no idea where I was going or what I was going to buy. I was completely lost. I'd never gone gift shopping before without someone's help. Usually, it was Gabi who would help me. Either that or she'd get the gift and sign my name on it with hers. If it was a present for Gabi, either Victoria, Flint, or Reggie would help me. I could call one of them to help, but they were AWOL. Were they _still _planning a surprise party?

When Electivire tugged on my sleeve twice to get my attention, I raised a brow at him "What?" I asked him. He pointed off to the side where a man was selling flowers from his vendors cart. My face flamed. "You think I should get her _flowers?_" I balked. Electivire shrugged hopelessly once.

I couldn't get Gabi _flowers. _Flowers were for married people or couples. We weren't a couple. Despite what everyone in Sinnoh believed (thanks to Rhonda's brainwashing), Gabi and I weren't a couple. And that wasn't going to change no matter how many times people told us how "cute we were together" or how much she'd "changed" me over the years. Apparently, a large part of Gabi's fan base thought our nonexistent relationship to be a perfect match. I couldn't count how many times I'd gotten wistful letters from "Gaul" shippers. I was sure that Reggie along with all of my Pokémon were a "Gaul" shippers (whatever _that_ was…).

"I just need a simple gift. Something that you would give a friend that you've known for a long time," I told him. Electivire pointed to the flower vendor again while giving me his impression of a kissy face. I glared at him before speeding up to leave him behind. My face on fire, I snapped, "If you aren't going to take this seriously, you can go home."

"_Young_ _man_?"

I stopped. It was the flower vendor. Upon closer inspection, I saw that he also sold heart-shaped candies and cards. _Perfect_. "Yes?" I asked him, already ready to walk away.

"You seem troubled. Are you looking for a gift for a young lady?" he smiled at me. He was a middle-aged man with a soft face.

"Yeah. I am," I said hesitantly.

"Would you like a bouquet of flowers? Or perhaps some chocolate tulips?" the man smiled. I frowned at him.

"No thanks. I don't need a romantic gift. She's just a friend," I explained to him.

"Oh I see… "Just a friend"," the and said with a wink. "I get it. How about this Teddiursa doll?"

My eyes widened in stunned shock. The Teddiursa was nearly the size of an Ursaring as it sat with a red, frilly heart in its paws. The plush heart read "I Wuv You" in a cursive script in white letters. The man wiggled the bear in his arms for emphasis.

"_Paul? Is that you?"_

With a restrained expression, I turned o see Rhonda jogging up to me with her camera crew. "You wouldn't believe how hard it is to get a hold of Gabi on her birthday. But, I'm sure that's no problem for _you,"_ she winked. Then, she spotted the bear. I suddenly wished Electivire could use Dig or Fly to get me away from here. "What have we here? Is this for Gabi? You really spare no expense for the one you love. Am I right Paul?" she asked as she felt the Teddiursa.

I had two options. I could have Electivire use Thunder to get my point across to the dull woman. However, I was sure that the scene would end up on television for everyone to see. And, of course, Gabi would see it. And if she saw that I had been attacking news reporters again, she wouldn't let me hear the end of it. The second option was to simply walk away.

"You're not worth my time," I scoffed and walked away from Rhonda wit Electivire on my tail.

"_Paul, wait! I have more questions to ask y- ow! I told you to watch where you're holding that mic you idiot_!" I could hear Rhonda yelling as I walked away.

~:~

I was running out of time. I had set off on my search just before lunch and now, it was nearly sunset. I had been to over twenty stores and carts in Veilstone. Even with Electivire's "help", I couldn't find a single thing to get her. Why was shopping so difficult?

"Hey, Paul. Did you find anything?" Reggie asked as I reentered the house.

"I came back empty handed. What do you think?" I snapped at him. Being more than use to my bad moods, Reggie brushed off my rude tone.

He was about to saw something else to me when someone else suddenly appeared in the house. I sighed loudly when I spotted Gabi's Gardevoir floating gracefully. "Gardevoir, you look well. It's time to go already? I'll go call everyone else," Reggie smiled. Gardevoir was the personal transportation for anyone making the trip to Gabi's home in Sandgem Town for her birthday. Teleportation was a lot faster than modern transportation.

When Reggie came back in with all my Pokémon plus their many gifts, I felt even worse. They were all bustling happily as they waited to be Teleported. There was nothing they loved more than visiting Gabi. I guessed that it was from her constant pampering and praise towards them. She spoiled them rotten. I wasn't harsh on them like I used to be, but I was far from giving them ear scratches and belly rubs.

Once everyone as gathered in the living room, Gardevoir's Teleport transported us all into the backyard of Gabi's home. I could hear the party music along with the loud voices and bright lights coming from the house. It took a little more than a second before Gabi was at the back door with a large grin. "You made it!" she exclaimed.

Gardevoir left us then to rejoin the party inside as Gabi joined us outside. Her eyes scanned over all the gifts before she smiled brightly. "Gifts? You guys shouldn't have, but I'm more than happy you did," she smirked with a wink. Like a kid on Christmas, she went about opening each one starting with Staraptor's and Honchkrow's. "To Gabi from Staraptor, Honchkrow and Paul," she read he card. My eyes widened. "These fruit look amazing! They'll make the best Poffins ever!"

What? My confusion only grew as she kept reading the cards. Each gift read my Pokémon's name… along with my own. Even Reggie's gift had my name on it. I knew that Reggie wrote the card for them, but not one of my Pokémon looked surprised that my name was on the cards.

When Electivire presented his cardless gift to Gabi, her eyes widened. "Your electrizer? Thank you very much, Electivire. I'll cherish it forever. I'm guessing that it was your and Paul's idea," she grinned. My mouth opened to speak, but Electivire's quick nod cut me off.

A small part of me was touched. They had all come through for me. I hadn't done anything, but they'd done so much. I still felt guilty for not _actually_ having a gift, but I would put that away from now.

"Let's get inside and say "hi" to everyone," Reggie suggested to all the Pokémon. They all followed him inside, leaving Gabi and I alone.

Once they were all gone, she smiled at me. I swallowed. The guilt was growing. "Gabi, I don't know whose idea it was to put my name on the cards, but I didn't help them get their gifts. I was too busy looking for my own, but I couldn't find anything that you could possibly want or need. It was impossible," I started.

"I had a feeling," I said as she held the electrizer in her hands.

"W-what?" I gaped. How did she-?

"When I saw the scented soap, lotion, candle, and perfume set, I figured it out," she shrugged with a grin.

"I'm sorry. I know that it's no excuse, but I'm just no good at this," I said with a frustrated noise.

I would have kept going if her laughter hadn't stopped me. I shot her a look. She was laughing at me? "I know you're no good at gift shopping. Why do you think I buy the gifts and sign your name on the card?" she started. I was at a loss for words. "It doesn't matter if you're terrible at gift shopping. It means a lot to me that you tried."

I let out a relieved breath. She was… there were no words to describe how amazing she could be. And if there were, I didn't know them. "I also saw just how much you tried today on TV. Rhonda had a "premium exclusive" today," she started. "I'm kinda disappointed that you didn't get the Teddiursa. It was cute."

I shot her an annoyed look. "I thought it was the thought that counted," I replied.

"Well…sure. But, next time, go with the Teddiursa doll," she winked before taking me by the hand to lead me inside. The atrocious doll with the even more atrocious message "I Wuv You"… Would she really want him to get _that_? She couldn't really want it. He knew her better than that.

Maybe it was the message she wanted? Looking at the bock of her head as she lead him through the crowd, he was surprised when she suddenly turned to wink at him. His face flushed. If he ever told her that, the "wuv" would have to go. The day he said "wuv" over "love" would be the day he gave Electivire a belly rub.

~:~

Moi-Moi: Aw Paul. :')

Edited: 1/24/14


	2. Chapter 2

Installment 2: Gabi, Bonnie, and a Meeting of the Times

Moi-Moi: I have been wanting to introduce these two for a while now…

~:~

"Lumiose City is amazing!" Serena gushed as her eyes danced all over the sights. I twirled around once happily to take in the large city. I'd grown up in Lumiose City, but it was still nice to be back home again. "I can't wait to see the city. Lumiose City is the fashion capital of the world!" Serena went on.

"Fashion? We don't have time for that. We've got to get going to Cyllage City for my Gym battle," Ash said with a frown. I smiled at Ash's pout while Serena turned her frown on him. I waited with Dedenne while they went back and forth to decide what we should do next.

It took a while, but finally Clemont stepped in to quell the fighting. "Why don't we take some time to enjoy the city before we head out? A little bit of sightseeing won't hurt. Lumiose City has some very powerful Trainers. I'm sure you could find some to battle with, Ash."

Ash seemed to ponder on Clemont's idea before nodding once with a shrug. Serena seemed pleased and Clemont let out a relieved breath. "Then it's settled. We'll each do some sightseeing before heading out," Serena smiled.

"Let's meet up at the Pokémon Center at noon for lunch," Clemont said. For the first time since we got together, we all split up and headed our separate ways.

"I want to go to the park to play with Dedenne," I said just as I turned to leave. But before I could get too far away, I felt a familiar metal hand clamp around the back of my clothes. I pouted at Clemont.

"You have to stay with me Bonnie. You can't go running off on your own," Clemont said and adjusted his glasses.

"Alright then come with me!" I smiled at him. With an unsure look, Clemont placed me back down. As soon as my feet touched the ground, I was off with Dedenne.

"_Bonnie, wait up!"_ I heard Clemont call out after me.

"You're moving too slow!" I shouted behind me. You'd think that after all the travelling we've done, Clemont would be a little more in shape. But, I could still hear him huffing and puffing behind me. I didn't stop running until I arrived at the park. When I turned back to Clemont, he was gone. "Clemont? Where'd you go?" I asked, but I got no answer.

I was just starting to worry when I felt Dedenne twitch on my head before taking off. "Dedenne, come back!" I called out after it. Dedenne scurried away from me and headed further into the park. I ran after it, trying to get it back. Clemont trusted me with Dedenne. I couldn't lose it!

"Dedenne! Dedenne! Dede-" I stopped short when I spotted it. Dedenne was sitting at the feet on another Trainer. She had dark brown hair with light brown streaks in it that ended around the middle of her back and pretty, dark brown eyes. The streaks looked like they were shining in the bright sun from under her yellow bandana. She wore a short sleeved yellow shirt, a pair of white capris, white sneakers with yellow laces, a yellow thunderbolt pendant around her neck, and a pair of white, fingerless gloves. She was really pretty.

She looked up at me with a small smile as her fingers scratched Dedenne under its chin lightly. Dedenne cooed happily with its eyes closed in bliss. "Is this your Dedenne?" she asked me. I nodded twice as I stepped towards her. I didn't know her, but she seemed nice. "We must have attracted it over here with the smell of food," she told me. She took out a small, round, and pink piece of food and fed it to Dedenne who squealed happily. "Your Dedenne looks very healthy and happy."

"Thank you. It's really my brother's Pokémon, but he's letting me take care of it," I told her. That's when I noticed the other Pokémon present. It was blue with spiky, black fur, and a long black tail with a yellow star on the tip on its tails. It's red and yellow eyes stared at me and made me feel like it could see right through me.

The girl seemed to notice me staring at her Pokémon. "This is Luxray. You can pet him if you like. He won't bite. Will you, Luxray?" she smiled and ran her fingers through the Pokémon's mane.

Slowly, I stretched a hand out to touch its fur. "It's…so soft," I smiled.

"Yep. I keep his fur clean and groomed. It doesn't hurt that I make sure he stays healthy too," the girl said with a proud smile.

"My name's Bonnie," I said once I felt fully at ease.

"My name is Gabi. It's nice to meet you Bonnie," she told me.

"I've never seen a Luxray before," I told her honestly just as Luxray moved to lay on his belly. I continued to pet his fur while small shocks moved up my arm. They didn't hurt. They kind of tingled.

"Well I've never seen a Dedenne before. This is my first time in Kalos," she told me. I was surprised at this. "I'm from Sandgem Town in the Sinnoh region. I came here to learn more about Mega Evolution from Professor Sycamore. I'm actually headed to Shalour City now."

"I'm from Lumiose City. I live here with my older brother and dad," I told her. Then it hit me. This girl was really pretty, seemed nice, and raised Pokémon well. She'd be perfect for Clemont! "My older brother is actually the Leader of the Lumiose Gym."

"Really? Doesn't the Lumiose Gym specialize in Electric type Pokémon?" she asked me. I nodded once with a proud smile. She's heard about the Gym. It'll be _that_ much easier to get her and Clemont together now. "That's cool. My older brother runs the Sunnyshore Gym in Sunnyshore City. It's an Electric type Gym as well."

"Really?" I balked at that. Would she still be impressed by my brother being a Gym Leader if her brother was already a Gym Leader? "Well, my brother is an inventor too. He invents all kinds of stuff… but they don't always work," I admittedly softly.

"No way! My brother loves technology. He built the service bots the take care of the Gym and the entire Sunnyshore City. He's even built the moving sidewalks and the Sunnyshore Tower. If it weren't for his solar panel system, Sunnyshore City wouldn't be _half _ the city it is today," Gabi bragged.

What now? I _had _to do something to convince Gabi to marry my brother! Clemont was completely lost and hopeless without my help. He spent most of his time with science and his inventions. He was hopeless with romance. How was he supposed to get a girlfriend and get married without my help?

"_Bonnie!"_

I turned around to see Clemont panting heavily and hunched over at the waist as he approached. I stood up with Gabi at my side just as Dedenne scurried onto my head and Luxray stepped forward. I watched Luxray growl at Clemont angrily as his fur sparked and stood on end. Clemont immediately stopped panting to watch Luxray fearfully.

"Luxray, stop that!" Gabi told him. She pulled Luxray back before smiling hesitantly at my brother. "Sorry about him. Luxray just doesn't like strangers... or boys."

While Clemont watched Luxray warily, I stepped forward with a grin. "Clemont, this is Gabi. Gabi, his is my brother Clemont," I introduced them.

"It's nice to meet you," Gabi smiled while keeping a firm grip on Luxray.

"Same to you," Clemont said and kept watching Luxray.

"She's really nice Clemont. I think she's _perfect_ for you!" I told him. I turned to Gabi with a hopeful grin. "Gabi, won't you _please _marry my brother?"

"_Bonnie_!" Clemont exclaimed at once and snatched me up by the back of my clothes. Luxray's growls grew louder just as he looked ready to attack Clemont. Gabi tried to laugh, but it sounded very nervous. "I'm sorry about her," Clemont apologized with a red face.

"That's alright. I should probably be going anyways. It was nice meeting you both," Gabi smiled and began tugging Luxray away. As I watched her go, I sighed loudly. There goes another one…

"Bonnie, what were you _thinking_? You totally embarrassed me again!" Clemont exclaimed, still red in the face.

"I was thinking that she'd make a good partner for you. She's kind, a good Trainer, and pretty too!" I objected.

Clemont's face flamed. "T-that's not the point! Just stop trying to set me up," Clemont grumbled and carried me away from the park. With a sigh, I tried to spot Gabi again but she was already gone. At least I tried…

~:~

Moi-Moi: I love that Bonnie is Brock's antithesis.

Edited: 3/3/14


	3. Chapter 3

Installment 3: Big Things Come in Small Packages

Moi-Moi: So, I was asked to post a list of all of Gabi's Pokémon. Have no fear. I've been keeping an accurate list from Day 1. ;)

_Infernape- Blaze Kick, Flamethrower, Close Combat, Thunder Punch_

_Staraptor- Aerial Ace, Sky Attack, Hurricane, Close Combat_

_Dragonite- Dragon Tail, Twister, Dragon Rush, Ice Beam_

_Pachirisu- Spark, Discharge, Attract, Electro Ball_

_Vaporeon- Hydro Pump, Rock Smash, Water Pulse, Surf_

_Gardevoir- Moonblast, Teleport, Psychic, Magical Leaf_

_Lucario- Close Combat, Force Palm, Aura Sphere, Bone Rush_

_Luxray- Iron Tail, Discharge, Wild Charge, Crunch_

_Zebstrika- Discharge, Wild Charge, Flame Charge, Double Hit_

_Beartic- Blizzard, Slash, Hail, Sheer Cold_

_Joltik- Electroweb, Slash, Discharge, Bug Bite_

_Torchic- Ember, Peck_

You may have also noticed that I took down the first installment and replaced it with the second. No worries. It'll come back later, but it must be tweaked a little.

~:~

"Luxray, you can relax now. I'm pretty sure we're not being followed," I smiled down at Luxray. I heard him huff once before looking around us carefully. "If Bonnie and Clemont were following us, you would have seen them by now. Or Lucario would have sensed their aura," I went on. Lucario nodded once with a reassuring grunt, but Luxray didn't look relieved. Lucario and I sighed.

It was just the three of us walking through the bamboo forest just outside Lumiose City. I had planned to come here with Lucario in order to learn more about Mega Evolution from Professor Sycamore. Luxray had kindly offered to join us as well. Since Infernape was at Professor Oak's laboratory visiting Ash's Infernape, she couldn't come. I was surprised that Gardevoir chose to stay behind rather than come with us (Lucario), but I suppose even the happiest of couples needed time apart. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" was right.

We had just left Lumiose City after meeting Bonnie and Clemont in the park. I would have liked to stay longer, but Luxray was getting antsy. "_Antsy_" was putting it lightly.

"I think we should stop for lunch," I voiced to them. Lucario nodded once before taking off into the forest with my canteen. Luxray helped me set up the blanket and food while we waited for Lucario to return. Once the food was set out, Lucario returned with a filled canteen and an armful of fruit. I wasn't sure how he found fruit out here. All I could see was bamboo.

"Professor Sycamore said that in Shalour City there's a man named Gurkinn who can help me understand Mega Evolution even better. He also said that seeing Lucario would help convince him to help me. He didn't say why though," I started. Luxray offered Lucario a side-glance before going back to his meal. Lucario finished off his Pecha berry before suddenly sitting up at attention. "Lucario?" I questioned him just as Luxray started growling.

Once some nearby bushes started rustling, Luxray moved to stand before me with a low growl. Lucario waited for whatever it was to show itself. I tried to peer around Luxray, but he was doing a good job of keeping me back. Just as I was about to chastise him, a black and white blur flew out of the bushes and towards us.

It cried out in a loud voice as it flew at us. Lucario stepped forward to grab the small Pokémon by its foot. We all relaxed as Lucario held the small Pokémon up by its ankle to examine it. It struggled in his grip, desperately trying to free itself. It was adorable!

_Pancham, the Playful Pokémon. It does its best to glare and pull a scary face, but it can't help grinning if anyone pats its head. Chewing on a leaf is its trademark._

"You're so cute!" I cooed and smiled at the struggling Pokémon. Luxray had relaxed by now and was back to eating his food. Apparently, Pancham wasn't worth the effort. Lucario was peering at Pancham curiously while holding it at arm's length away. "It's using Arm Thrust," I observed as I watched Pancham try to attack Lucario. Every jab of its tiny arms missed Lucario completely, only hitting air. Lucario spoke to Pancham dismissively before setting it down and returning to his food.

Pancham wasn't finished, however. Once it was on its feet, it was turning and Tackling Lucario's back in one swift move. "It's got spunk," I observed. Luxray rolled his eyes while Lucario growled at Pancham. "It wants to battle. Let's give it one. Lucario, Bone Rush!" I commanded.

Lucario moved quickly, striking Pancham with the brunt of his bone staff in the gut. I could tell that Lucario wasn't putting is full force into the attack, but that didn't stop Pancham from falling over in an unconscious heap. With a resolute nod, Lucario went back to his food. I went to check on Pancham.

"Are you alright?" I asked it and helped it to its feet. Pancham's eyes were tearing up as it rubbed its sore belly. "Would you like to have some food? It'll make your feel better," I suggested. While I smiled at Pancham, it glared back at me. Nonetheless, it stomped over to the blanket and grabbed up an Oran berry.

"You're a tough little guy. Aren't you?" I smiled at it, but Pancham huffed and took another violent bite out of its berry. It was being rude, but I was having hard time caring when it looked so adorable. "I bet you only attacked us because you wanted a test for your strength," I told him. Pancham offered me a small glance, but nodded once. "Was Lucario a good enough test for you?"

Pancham didn't answer. Instead, he huffed and picked up another berry. It was adorable! With a coo, I took Pancham into my lap and began petting its head lightly. At once, Pancham began growly lowly and curling up happily on my lap. A lazy grin had taken over its face. I giggled lightly at it and that seemed to snap Pancham out of its daze. Suddenly, it jumped up from my lap to glare at me. With its paws, it ruffled at the fur on its head to fix it back into place.

"I get it. You don't want to be babied. But, you're so adorable," I told it. Pancham balked at once and tried glaring and growling at me. After several seconds, it saw that its growls weren't having their intended effect. Pancham slumped in defeat before collapsing on the blanket.

"I would love to make you my Pokémon. I could help you become stronger," I told it. From the blanket, Pancham peered up at me with one eye. I took an empty Pokéball off the clip on my belt and enlarged it. I offered it to Pancham with a small smile. After several seconds, Pancham pressed its paws onto the button on the front of the ball. "That was easy," I smiled at Lucario and Luxray.

~:~

On our way to Shalour City, Luxray and Lucario walked at my sides. Pancham hung from Lucario's right arm, trying to pull him into submission. It was adorable to watch him attempt to take down Lucario. Thankfully, Lucario had endless amounts of patience to allow Pancham to pull, twist, and attack him without end. Eventually, Pancham would tire himself out and need to be carried while he napped. I was more than happy to take him off Lucario's hands when that happened.

We chose to pass through Coumarine City on our way to Shalour City. Taking this route shortened our journey and lacked all the stops in towns like Camphrier, Cyllage and Geosenge. I really wanted to learn more about Mega Evolution as soon as possible so I could have enough time to master it before the next Sinnoh League.

"There it is!" I exclaimed and point ahead of us. Pancham stopped attacking Lucario's leg long enough to look ahead. In the distance, we saw a town on the shores of a beach with a grand castle and tower behind it. "That's where we're going: the Tower of Mastery."

Shalour City was a very quaint city surrounded by trees and a beautiful beach. It felt like home. But, not even Shalour's beach could compare to Sandgem's beaches back home. As we walked through the city, many people stopped to stare at Lucario as we passed. For the most part, Lucario's eyes remained focused ahead of us.

The Tower of Mastery was built in the center of the castle at an amazing height. Once inside the Tower, we all stopped short at the giant Lucario statue in the center. But, this Lucario looked slightly different from the one at my side. This Lucario seemed to have a fluffy tail branching out from the fur at its torso, more spikes on the back of its paws, longer aura-sensing appendages and shoulder spikes.

"That's Mega Lucario," an elderly voice spoke. We all turned to see a man with white hair and grey eyes approaching us. His eyes landed on Lucario and he seemed to give small smile and nod. "You must be Gabrielle. Professor Sycamore said that you would be coming."

"Are you Gurkinn, the Mega Evolution guru?" I asked him, already expecting the answer.

"Yes, I am. Now that you're here... I suppose I should explain Mega Evolution to you," he goes on. I nodded eagerly and began listening in. "Mega Evolution is a transformation of Pokémon that were thought to be unable to evolve any further. It's a whole new level of power. Mega Evolution differs from Evolution because it ends after a certain amount of time. In other words, it's a temporary Evolution," he said.

"I could temporarily boost my Pokémon's power by changing its form?" I asked to clarify. Couldn't I achieve power boosts from Vitamins too?

"Yes. To make Mega Evolution work, you need two items: a Mega Stone for the Pokémon and the Mega Ring, which has a mysterious Key Stone set in it, for the Trainer. Both can be used at any time it is needed," Gurkinn went on. That was helpful. Once I had the stones, there was no need to replace them after using them. Unlike buying more Vitamins every time they ran out.

"There are only a handful of Pokémon that can Mega Evolve- Lucario being one of them," Gurkinn said and pointed to my Lucario. Lucario's eyes widened before he stared up at the statue of Mega Lucario. "The first Pokémon to ever Mega Evolve was a Lucario. You'll find that this town has a bit of an affinity for all Lucario," Gurkinn said with a wink.

"Where would I find the stones necessary for Mega Evolution?" I asked him.

"They can be found all over Kalos. But, I shall do you one better," Gurkinn said and started to approach me. Luxray watched the man carefully, his body tensing. "Professor Sycamore has told me of your accomplishments. I think that it would be more than fair of me to give you these- a Mega Ring and Lucarionite."

The Mega Ring looked like a black bracelet with a small, multi-colored stone embedded in it. I slipped it over my wrist before watching Lucario turn the Lucarionite over in his paws. The Lucarionite was held on a chain like a necklace. It looked like a marble with stripes of red and blue moving through the middle. With a small smile, I took the necklace from him before placing it over his neck.

"Mega Evolution is a special kind of Evolution. That said, we still know very little about it. What we know now is that it requires those special items. And the most important element is the trust between Pokémon and Trainer," Gurkinn said.

It seemed like everything important relied on trust between a Pokémon and their Trainer. Luckily for us, the bond between Lucario and I couldn't be stronger if we tried. Sometimes, it felt like I could actually understand him when he spoke. As if he were using telekinesis to talk to me.

Just as my fingers brushed the smooth Key stone within the Mega Ring, it began to glow. A familiar glow coated Lucario's body, like that of regular evolution. Lucario continued to glow for some time until he let out a battle cry and the glow started to cease. "_Woah_," was the most intelligent thing that could come out my mouth at the sight of my Mega Lucario.

~:~

Moi-Moi: Gabi has learned the secrets of Mega Evolution! And now, she has a Pancham to go with it! BTW, _Pancham- Leer, Arm Thrust, Tackle_

Edited: 3/4/14


	4. Chapter 4

Installment 4: A Very Merry Christmas

Moi-Moi: Hey again guys! I was asked why I made Lucario and Gardevoir a couple. Honestly, I never planned on it. It just sort of… happened. But I thought it was pretty funny and ironic that a Psychic and Fighting type are a couple.

Okay, I know you guys were looking forward to seeing Gabi reunite with Ash and meet his new friends. Don't worry. I have plans for that, but the idea I want to use hasn't exactly happened yet in the Pokémon world. You know me. I'm a stickler for believability. I like to keep as close to the truth as possible… within reason. ;P

So… is anyone else guiltily supporting Amourshipping? I'm a Pokeshipper by heart, but Ash and Serena have a sort of "feel" to them. It's something about the way Serena described them first meeting and the way Ash acted like a knight in shining armor (or shorts in his case) that had me swooning. To me, if he can't have Misty, Serena's a close second.

Just a heads up, this installment has a major time skip of about three years after the events of "Poke Adventures".

~:~

Paul opened his eyes to spot light filtering through his frosty windows along with the sight of snow building up on the window sill. Veilstone City was far enough north to see snow during the winter. Not as much as Snowpoint City, mind you. But, just enough.

Seeing no point in remaining in bed, Paul removed himself from his sheets before slipping on his slippers and heading downstairs. He found Reggie cooking breakfast at the stove and all their Pokémon eating breakfast as well.

"Morning, Sleepy Head. I was getting worried about you," Reggie grinned. Paul didn't say anything to his brother but chose to sit at the table instead. Reggie didn't let his brother's lack of response bother him. Sometimes, no response from Paul was the best response. "Oh, Paul. I almost forgot to tell you that this came for you in the mail," Reggie said before handing the letter that was resting on the kitchen counter over to his brother.

Paul took the letter before turning it over in his hands. Upon opening the envelope, he removed the Christmas card from within it. He smirked at the picture on the front before opening it up to read the inside.

_ Dear Paul,_

_ Sorry I couldn't be there in person to tell you this, but Merry Christmas! I hope you, Reggie, and all your Pokémon are making the most out of the best holiday of the year. I know I am. I wanted to send you and Reggie Christmas sweaters, but I had the oddest feeling that you wouldn't wear yours if I had. I guess I'll have to pick out another gift instead._

_ I know that you're doing well with all your Pokémon plus Reggie taking good care of you. It's nice to know that I can leave you alone without worrying too much. _

Paul stopped. Did she think he was a child that needed constant care? Rolling his eyes at her antics, he continued on.

_ I'm doing more than fine with my Pokémon by my side. I can't wait until I see you again. When I do, we'll have a battle just so I can show you how much stronger I'd have gotten. Until then, I'll be looking forward to it. Tell Reggie and all your Pokémon Merry Christmas for me._

_ Love,_

_ Gabi._

Paul closed the card to examine the picture on the front. Gabi stood with her Pokémon- Dragonite, Lucario, Gardevoir, Luxray, Infernape, and Pepper- in the snow as they smiled for the camera. She was dressed for winter wherever she was. Paul was having a hard time remembering just where that was at the moment.

There was a part of him that was touched that she had remembered him this time of year. He hadn't planned on sending anything out, but she had sought him out. Then again, it was nothing new. Gabi was always surprising him like this.

"Who's it from?" Reggie asked as he placed a plate of breakfast in front of Paul. Paul put the letter away before taking up his chopsticks. Reggie decided to leave him be.

It wasn't for some time that he heard Paul speak. When he did, his younger brother had uttered a "Gabi said Merry Christmas" before going back to his meal. Reggie hid his smile from Paul. He had already guessed who had sent the letter judging by the subtly softer look Paul had acquired as he read the card. Just a few years ago, Reggie never would have guessed that such a look could be on his brother's face. But Gabi had changed all of that. "I'll make sure to write her back then. If you're going to do the same, get your letter to me before the end of the day," Reggie said. Paul kept quiet.

~:~

Gabi was sitting with all her Pokémon by the fireplace within the Pokémon Center. She had already finished sending out all of her Christmas cards to the friends and family that she had all over the world. Now, she sat drinking hot chocolate with her Pokémon while it snowed heavily outside.

"Excuse me, Gabrielle?" Nurse Joy called out as she approached. Gabi turned to face Nurse Joy before standing with a curious expression. "These just arrived for you," Nurse Joy said and offered her some envelopes.

Gabi thanked Nurse Joy before scanning the names on the envelopes. She'd gotten cards back from several people already- Flint & Volkner, Ash, Brock, Dawn, Reggie, and Paul. Gabi stopped at Paul's letter. She hadn't expected him to send his own. She had assumed that Reggie and Paul would send one letter like Flint and Volkner had. Slightly eager, she ripped the letter open.

_Gabi,_

_ Merry Christmas to you too. I've put off my training due to all the snow covering Veilstone, but other than that everything is fine. You don't need to send any sweaters. Reggie already bought his own._

_ I'm looking forward to our battle too. I'm sure it will be a good one. I'm glad to hear that you're doing fine. I have no doubts that your Pokémon are working hard to keep you out of trouble._

Gabi stopped reading. She pouted at the paper before rolling her eyes. As if she needed anyone to keep an eye on her.

_You can tell your Pokémon Merry Christmas from us. All of my Pokémon said hello and Merry Christmas to you too. Electivire is most looking forward to seeing you again. Until then, Merry Christmas._

_ Paul._

Gabi smiled. She turned to her waiting Pokémon that were eyeing her curiously. "Paul and his Pokémon said Merry Christmas," she told them. They all seemed pleased by this and went back to their warm drinks. Gabi slipped the letter back inside the envelope for safe keeping. There was a part of her that was tempted to send another letter to Paul, but this time with just a branch of mistletoe inside. With a grin, she moved on to the next letter. "Maybe next Christmas," she muttered to herself.

~:~

Moi-Moi: How sweet. ;)

Edited: 3/22/14


End file.
